Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
How to use Tight box breathing for a ten-minute window, on a day that started badly
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 4 in, 1 held, 4 out, 1 held. Nothing else to remember. A day that started badly does not have to stay that way. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
Equal breathing tends to even out the differences between your in-breath and out-breath over a few minutes.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 5s |
| Hold again | 1s | 9s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 100 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when you cannot sleep and do not want to get up
Tips
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- If you lose count, start the round again rather than guessing.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Physiological sigh for a grey day, Beginner box breath for a big decision or 4-6 breathing exercise for a hard week.